A state of emergency has been declared in New York City as heavy rain slams New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.
The city’s streets were flooded, with vehicles and people making their way in high water.
According to media reports, up to 20 centimeters or 8 inches of rain fell in some parts of the city.
“The rain is chaotic today, a lot of flooding and trains being delayed. All trains are completely delayed like an hour or two, it’s madness!” according to Adam Blackwell, Resident, New York City.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said there were no reported deaths or serious injuries.
New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport have reported major cancellations.
New York City Sinking Faster in Select Areas—NASA
Meanwhile, New York City is sinking, and NASA has issued a warning about it.
A study conducted by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in collaboration with Rutgers University found that while the entire city is gradually sinking due to its many tall buildings, some areas are sinking faster than others.
In these specific spots, the rate of sinking is faster than the citywide average of 1.6 millimeters per year.
The study, which looked at data from 2016 to 2023, identified several notable findings.
LaGuardia Airport and Arthur Ashe Stadium were among the locations sinking the fastest, with rates of 3.7 and 4.6 millimeters per year, respectively.
Coney Island was also sinking at an accelerated rate. The cause of this sinking is linked to these areas sitting on top of an ancient glacier that is now retreating, due to a combination of natural and human factors.
Some areas within the city are actually rising. East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and Woodside, Queens, were found to be lifting up at rates of about 1.6 and 6.9 millimeters per year, respectively.
Researchers suspect that groundwater pumping and injection wells used for treating polluted water might be contributing to this uplift, though further investigation is needed.
